5 Signs During the Interview That Your Boss Will be a Nightmare

So you finally landed your dream job. The listing looked perfect, youre making more than your last position and your co-workers couldnt be kinder.

There just one problem; your boss is a complete jerk.

If this sounds familiar, youre not alone. Based on a recent survey reported by LinkedIn, nearly two-thirds of Americans dislike their bosses so much, they’d rather see him or her fired than receive a higher paycheck.

Like anyone else, bosses can have their bad days, when nothing seems to be going right and can ultimately take out their frustration on the people they oversee. But these types of manifestations can get old real quick when there’s seemingly no off switch to your boss’ discontentment button.

No one wants to work for a jerk, but you may be able to get a read on your supervisor’s penchant for churlishness during the interview by dropping certain clues. Here are five red flags to be on the lookout for to determine if your boss could be a nightmare come true:

1. Lots of talking, little listening

Give and take is what it’s all about when you’re interviewing for a position, but if the person you’re talking to is hogging the conversation, it can be an indication of what they’ll be like when youre actually on the job. Aside from doing all the talking, other classic signs of not listening can include failure to make eye contact, easily distracted – whether by people or technology – or asking you about something that you already mentioned.

2. It’s all about ‘me’

The saying, “there’s no I in team” couldnt be more true, so be on alert if your soon-to-be boss is almost entirely self-referential during the interview, when discussing the successes of the company, or explaining only his or her background and accomplishments. Taking all the credit – or laying claim to it when it isn’t due – is a major pet peeve of many employees today, according to several polls – and it ought to be, as good bosses always put their people first and foremost.

3. Badmouths their employees

Bosses have their opinions about the people they oversee, but they should keep those feeling to themselves – and certainly not discuss them with you during the interview. If they speak poorly of others – or previous candidates they interviewed – it can be insight into the type of person they are, the kind that you’re better off avoiding.

4. Seems in a rush

Everyone is busy, and bosses more often than not fall into the pressed for time category. Yet if the managers interviewing you seem like they’re giving you the bum rush – such as by constantly fidgeting, looking at their watches or not letting you finish your sentence – they may not have the time for you on those days when you could really use their guidance.

5. Nice to the nth-degree

Good bosses will want to make a good first impression, but if their niceties come across as inauthentic, be wary, warned workplace psychologist and career coach Janet Scarborough Civelli.

“If you feel like you are walking on air after an interview because a prospective boss made you feel like the most special person on the planet, that’s could be a bad sign,” Civelli told Business News Daily. “Authentic people are more likely to connect with you without the hardcore wooing.”

Remember, the job interview is a two-way street: You’re getting a read on them every bit as much as they are towards you. Trust your instincts and you can avoid those managers that make workdays a living nightmare.